The investigation into the optimisation of cross laminated timber panels for use in the Australia building industry

[Abstract]: This research paper will investigate the viability of using Low/Utility grade timber to construct timber beams, plate members and solid wall structures via a Cross-lamination process known as CLT. More specifically it will aim to uncover an optimum set to material specifications and dimensions for an engineered panel design. Due the many faults and defects in the utility grade timber it is often left to be used in wood chipping and wooden pallet manufacture, still this leaves a significant amount of product in storage, costing Hyne money. As well as producing a new structurally competitive product for Hyne Timber Australia, developing a method to structurally stabilise utility grade timber will drastically reduce wastage in the wood industry as well as provide an alternative to conventional brick and mortar building. The modelling procedure will be undertaken in the finite element modelling software package Strand 7. These models are built upon the current known data for the mechanical properties of Slash Pine. Utilising the known modulus of elasticity and the orientation of grain direction, a finite analysis can be performed, calculating stress and moment distributions and deflections under applied loading. The data gathered from these models will then be used to draw comparisons from standard slab performance tests and the expected usage of CLT panels to help assess with further research whether the development of CLT panels from timber of sub-par quality is viable

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for Alzheimer’s dementia with positron emission tomography imaging: a case report

A 58-year-old female was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s dementia (AD) which was rapidly progressive in the 8 months prior to initiation of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). 18Fluorodeoxyglucose (18FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) brain imaging demonstrated global and typical metabolic deficits in AD (posterior temporal-parietal watershed and cingulate areas). An 8-week course of HBOT reversed the patient’s symptomatic decline. Repeat PET imaging demonstrated a corresponding 6.5–38% regional and global increase in brain metabolism, including increased metabolism in the typical AD diagnostic areas of the brain. Continued HBOT in conjunction with standard pharmacotherapy maintained the patient’s symptomatic level of function over an ensuing 22 months. This is the first reported case of simultaneous HBOT-induced symptomatic and 18FDG PET documented improvement of brain metabolism in AD and suggests an effect on global pathology in AD

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in in Neurodegenerative Disease with Case Presentations of Alzheimer\u27s Disease

Dr. Harch’s keynote will outline his case presentations on Alzheimer’s, supported by Dr. Fogarty. To better understand that neurodegenerative diseases result from a combination of genetic factors and cumulative environmental factors that generate central nervous system inflammation and wounding. To understand the positive and negative literature on HBOT in a variety of neurodegenerative and neurodevelopment diseases and the effects of HBOT on inflammation

Management of type 2 diabetes

Objective: This article describes the evaluation of a new model of partnership care using an audit cycle. Results: Statistically significant improvements in foot examination, body mass index, urine albumin creatinine ratio, total cholesterol, triglycerides and visual acuity measurements were observed. Significant increases in the proportion of patients achieving cholesterol and triglycerides therapeutic targets occurred. Most other outcome indicators demonstrated a nonsignificant improvement, which may be due to the short time interval in the audit for potential change. Conclusion: A dedicated chronic disease team and a clinical information system to coordinate culturally appropriate, multidisciplinary chronic disease care enables effective management of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes

Effects of continuous cultivation on Ferrosols in subtropical southeast Queensland. I. Site characterization, crop yields and soil chemical status

The productivity of Ferrosols used for rainfed agricultural production in the south and central Burnett regions of south-east Queensland was examined in relation to the duration under continuous cultivation. A range of crops grown in on-farm situations during 1986-90 were examined using paired sites to assess the extent of yield decline with time under cropping. The changes in soil chemical characteristics that have occurred during the cropping period were also assessed. All locations showed evidence of a significant reduction in crop growth (50-100%) where continuously cropped sites were compared with sites which had either never been cropped or which had been under grazed grass pasture for >20 years. In the absence of severe late season water deficits, this reduced growth rate was always reflected in lower (21-72%) crop yields at maturity. However, crop dry matter (DM) could interact with crop water use under conditions of late-season water deficit to negate, or even reverse, early growth advantages on previously untilled soil. At least part of the observed yield reduction on continuously cropped soil was due to nutrient deficiencies resulting from depletion of both surface and subsurface reserves during cropping. Long-term cropping has resulted in depletion of soil K and Zn (especially in the subsoil), organic carbon and total N status, and caused significant acidification of both surface and subsoil layers despite the use of lime. The decline in subsoil K status and falling subsoil pH have severe implications for crop performance in dry seasons, when crops rely on subsoil reserves to sustain crop growth. The decline in soil N status has occurred despite a high frequency (>50%) of grain legumes in the crop rotations practised on all farms monitored, and illustrates the small N return from these crops under rainfed conditions. The reduction in soil organic carbon due to cropping was extreme, with continuously cropped areas having organic carbon levels of only 0.9 to 1.5% in the 0-10 cm layer-values which were only 25-40% of levels in untilled soil. Grazed grass leys were only partly successful in restoration of soil organic carbon status

Subacute normobaric oxygen and hyperbaric oxygen therapy in drowning, reversal of brain volume loss: a case report

A 2-year-old girl experienced cardiac arrest after cold water drowning. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed deep gray matter injury on day 4 and cerebral atrophy with gray and white matter loss on day 32. Patient had no speech, gait, or responsiveness to commands on day 48 at hospital discharge. She received normobaric 100% oxygen treatment (2 L/minute for 45 minutes by nasal cannula, twice/day) since day 56 and then hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT) at 1.3 atmosphere absolute (131.7 kPa) air/45 minutes, 5 days/week for 40 sessions since day 79; visually apparent and/or physical examination-documented neurological improvement occurred upon initiating each therapy. After HBOT, the patient had normal speech and cognition, assisted gait, residual fine motor and temperament deficits. MRI at 5 months after injury and 27 days after HBOT showed near-normalization of ventricles and reversal of atrophy. Subacute normobaric oxygen and HBOT were able to restore drowning-induced cortical gray matter and white matter loss, as documented by sequential MRI, and simultaneous neurological function, as documented by video and physical examinations

Low pressure hyperbaric oxygen therapy and SPECT brain imaging in the treatment of blast-induced chronic traumatic brain injury (post-concussion syndrome) and post traumatic stress disorder: a case report

A 25-year-old male military veteran presented with diagnoses of post concussion syndrome and post traumatic stress disorder three years after loss of consciousness from an explosion in combat. The patient underwent single photon emission computed tomography brain blood flow imaging before and after a block of thirty-nine 1.5 atmospheres absolute hyperbaric oxygen treatments. The patient experienced a permanent marked improvement in his post-concussive symptoms, physical exam findings, and brain blood flow. In addition, he experienced a complete resolution of post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms. After treatment he became and has remained employed for eight consecutive months. This case suggests a novel treatment for the combined diagnoses of blast-induced post-concussion syndrome and post-traumatic stress disorder

Systematic review and dosage analysis: hyperbaric oxygen therapy efficacy in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder

BackgroundStudies of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) treatment of mild traumatic brain injury persistent postconcussion syndrome in military and civilian subjects have shown simultaneous improvement in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or PTSD symptoms, suggesting that HBOT may be an effective treatment for PTSD. This is a systematic review and dosage analysis of HBOT treatment of patients with PTSD symptoms.MethodsPubMed, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Systematic Review Database were searched from September 18 to November 23, 2023, for all adult clinical studies published in English on HBOT and PTSD. Randomized trials and studies with symptomatic outcomes were selected for final analysis and analyzed according to the dose of oxygen and barometric pressure on symptom outcomes. Outcome assessment was for statistically significant change and Reliable Change or Clinically Significant Change according to the National Center for PTSD Guidelines. Methodologic quality and bias were determined with the PEDro Scale.ResultsEight studies were included, all with < 75 subjects/study, total 393 subjects: seven randomized trials and one imaging case-controlled study. Six studies were on military subjects, one on civilian and military subjects, and one on civilians. Subjects were 3-450 months post trauma. Statistically significant symptomatic improvements, as well as Reliable Change or Clinically Significant changes, were achieved for patients treated with 40-60 HBOTS over a wide range of pressures from 1.3 to 2.0 ATA. There was a linear dose-response relationship for increased symptomatic improvement with increasing cumulative oxygen dose from 1002 to 11,400 atmosphere-minutes of oxygen. The greater symptomatic response was accompanied by a greater and severe reversible exacerbation of emotional symptoms at the highest oxygen doses in 30-39% of subjects. Other side effects were transient and minor. In three studies the symptomatic improvements were associated with functional and anatomic brain imaging changes. All 7 randomized trials were found to be of good-highest quality by PEDro scale scoring.DiscussionIn multiple randomized and randomized controlled clinical trials HBOT demonstrated statistically significant symptomatic improvements, Reliable Changes, or Clinically Significant Changes in patients with PTSD symptoms or PTSD over a wide range of pressure and oxygen doses. The highest doses were associated with a severe reversible exacerbation of emotional symptoms in 30-39% of subjects. Symptomatic improvements were supported by correlative functional and microstructural imaging changes in PTSD-affected brain regions. The imaging findings and hyperbaric oxygen therapy effects indicate that PTSD can no longer be considered strictly a psychiatric disease

Measures of nutrient processes as indicators of stream ecosystem health

To better understand how freshwater ecosystems respond to changes in catchment land-use, it is important to develop measures of ecological health that include aspects of both ecosystem structure and function. This study investigated measures of nutrient processes as potential indicators of stream ecosystem health across a land-use gradient from relatively undisturbed to highly modified. A total of seven indicators (potential denitrification; an index of denitrification potential relative to sediment organic matter; benthic algal growth on artificial substrates amended with (a) N only, (b) P only, and (c) N and P; and delta N-15 of aquatic plants and benthic sediment) were measured at 53 streams in southeast Queensland, Australia. The indicators were evaluated by their response to a defined gradient of agricultural land-use disturbance as well as practical aspects of using the indicators as part of a monitoring program. Regression models based on descriptors of the disturbance gradient explained a large proportion of the variation in six of the seven indicators. Denitrification index, algal growth in N amended substrate, and delta N-15 of aquatic plants demonstrated the best regression. However, the delta N-15 value of benthic sediment was found to be the best indicator overall for incorporation into a monitoring program, as samples were relatively easy to collect and process, and were successfully collected at more than 90% of the study sites